Mike Bost

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, this week, we celebrate National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Law enforcement officers answer the call to public service. They enter into situations that put their lives on the line. When the natural human response to danger is to run away, these brave men and women run toward it, and they do this to protect their communities. Our law enforcement officers occupy that thin blue line between good and evil. They stand between us and those who wish to do us harm and harm to our families. To the 780,000 police officers across this country who put on the badge every day, thank you, and God bless. Congratulating Helen Hawkins

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Peoria, Illinois, for hosting this Special Order on the State's bicentennial year. You know, Illinois is a State of threes. You know, we had three State capitals: Kaskaskia, Vandalia, and Springfield. We have three State seals. A lot of people don't know that. If you know Illinois well, you know that there is three distinct parts of Illinois involved. Whether you are in politics or business, it is always referred to as Cook County, the Collar counties, and southern Illinois. In southern Illinois, we like to capitalize the ``S'' on ``southern.'' There is one other thing that is in threes. If you listen to the Illinois song, three people are mentioned: Lincoln, Grant, and Logan. Now, the reason why I bring those up is because, tied with southern Illinois and Illinois' 12th Congressional District--the district that is the most southern and most western of the State of Illinois, which I am proud to represent--actually was and had the first State capital. Also, it has John A. Logan in that mentioning of those three names. John A. Logan, if you heard that name before, if you are in D.C., there are many things that are named after Logan, including ``Logan Circle.'' Logan was actually the gentleman who was laid in state--the eighth person laid in state here in this Capitol, and that was because he had established himself from deep southern Illinois. As a matter of fact, his hometown was--my hometown was his farm, which was subdivided to make that hometown. As a matter of fact, the deed in abstract of the home that I was born and raised in and the house that I later bought from my parents and raised my children for the first 10 years of my marriage in that home, my great-grandmother actually bought that property from his father. John Logan established himself, which is really wild, and he actually was such a large part of Illinois history. He first ran as a Democrat; he was a district attorney. He then became a State representative, then a State senator, then went on to be a Member of the U.S. Congress and later a U.S. Senator. It was during the time of the Civil War, when the Civil War broke out, that there were questions on what would happen, because deep southern Illinois was split during the war, though stayed united as a State. John Logan came back and led troops for the North. What is really wild is after becoming a field grade general and a decorated war general, he came back to southern Illinois, then went back into politics as a Republican, and stayed a U.S. Senator but as a Republican and was part of the reconstructionists. The amazing thing about John Logan is that he actually ran for vice president. They lost, he and Blaine. He then was running for president and gave a long speech, actually, in the gentleman's hometown who is hosting this tonight, for about 8 hours in the rain, got on a train, came back to the capital here, and passed away with pneumonia. Another great thing that happened in deep southern Illinois in the Illinois 12th is the Lincoln-Douglas debates. I am blessed to have the only district in the State of Illinois that has two Lincoln-Douglas debate sites. I am being questioned here that maybe there is one other. Jonesboro, September 15, 1858; Alton, October 15, 1858. Very proud of that. And, you know, these two went on after Douglas wins as Senator, but then Lincoln ends up winning the Presidency. There are several other things, but one other thing about deep southern Illinois, look, many people don't realize that deep southern Illinois has the smallest national forest in the Nation. The Shawnee National Forest is located in John Shimkus' and my district. We share it. It is truly a beautiful part of Illinois, wonderful rolling hills, deep forests, much good there. Also the Illinois 12th has Murphysboro, my hometown, which is the barbecue capital of Illinois. We have teams that have won as many as four grand championships and went on to create businesses all over this Nation in that business and in the barbecue business, and we are very proud of that. I would argue that maybe it is the barbecue capital of the world. There may be others that would argue different with that. How many of you, as children, remember the cartoon ``Popeye'', who came from Chester, Illinois, in the Illinois 12th? I am sure many of the other people who speak here tonight, Mr. Speaker, are also proud of their home districts in the State of Illinois, and should be, because I am going to tell you, whether it is from Cairo, to Galena, to Chicago, to Mulkeytown, from Danville, to East St. Louis, the State of Illinois is a great State. We love it. We have good things and bad things that happen, but it has been a great State that has helped this Nation, provided great leaders, provided great people involved in all kinds of fields throughout this Nation and this world. I have no reservations in saying, and I am sure others would say this about theirs, but I am so blessed, because I live in the most beautiful part of Illinois, the most beautiful part of Illinois where it starts out as the flatlands, what is commonly known as the prairies of Illinois up around St. Louis and Alton, and it comes south. When you get down to my area, it turns into rolling hills, rolling hills that produce peaches and apples and grapes, the beautiful wineries, areas of tourism, the land between the lakes, the land known as Little Egypt, and I am so privileged to be able to represent that part of the State of Illinois. Now, Mr. Speaker, I know we are going to have a lot of other speakers tonight, but I do want to tell you that Illinois, as I said, has had good times and bad times, but there are a whole lot more good times to come. It is a great place to live, it is a great place to raise your children, and I thank God that I had the opportunity to be born and raised there.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to lend my support to the flood insurance reform legislation that we considered on this floor yesterday and passed. Let me tell you the reasons and the importance of that particular legislation. One is, the problems that it deals with is FEMA's flood plain maps can be inaccurate and are based on old technology. Property owners in the insurance flood plain plans are required to pay flood insurance premiums, even though they may not be at risk under the old maps whenever you look at it. For example, today I brought a map from my district--one of the places in my district where these maps are wrong. This is actually Carterville, Illinois. If you will notice, as the flood plain comes down here from the north, actually, that is really unique because, if you will notice right beside it, out of the flood plain is the creek that actually flows and the ditch that is the creek, and the flood plain is not in that. Yet it is over in the other area here, where it affects homes that are actually charged larger amounts of money on their flood insurance when they are not even in the flood plain. Yet it never even continues to flow on down to Crab Orchard Lake, where the natural water flow goes. So those areas are out of the flood plain, according to this mapping. The flood zone maps--here is the problem: property owners can challenge the map under existing law, before we sent this over, and you can challenge it, but it would cost you $2,000 to challenge that. Or if you wanted to participate with your city, the city taxes would then be charged $17,000 to challenge the map. Flood insurance is vitally important and necessary to the people around this Nation and the security that it gives to others that are not in flood plains for not having a cost dropped on them. But the accuracy of these maps are vitally important. Two things the legislation did that were vitally important, it is easier and more affordable to appeal FEMA about their maps and whether or not something is in a flood plain. It also uses its higher technology to truly draft the flood plain maps in a way that they are fair, and that the costs are not unbearable to many homeowners.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding as well. The VA currently requires veterans in need of organ transplants to travel to VA transplant centers to receive their transplant. Waiting times at these centers average 32 percent longer than those non-VA transplant centers. In addition, we have reports that show that the further the veteran is from a VA transplant center, the less likely the veteran is to receive the organ transplant. This can ultimately prove fatal. We owe it to our Nation's heroes to provide them the best possible care, regardless of where they live. Mr. Speaker, I support the legislation offered by my friend and colleague from Florida, Dr. Dunn, to solve this problem. I am just amazed that we have waited this long to realize we had one. The VICTOR Act allows veterans who live more than 100 miles from one of the VA's 13 transplant centers to seek care at a federally certified, non-VA facility. I am proud to cosponsor the VICTOR Act because our veterans shouldn't be punished just because of where they live.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of one of my constituents, Donald Gillen, who is in Washington, D.C., today to receive the Congressional Gold Medal for his service to our Nation during World War II. Donald joined the Army on July 26, 1945. He was stationed at Camp O'Donnell in the Philippines from November 1946 through June 1947. As part of the 12th Philippine Scout Division, he became a company commander in the 57th Infantry Regiment. Donald moved to Belleville, Illinois, with his college sweetheart, Marilyn, to be close to his family, including four grandchildren. Now he is a guest staffer for the Belleville News-Democrat and supports his wife's singing in their church choir. I ask my colleagues to join me in welcoming Donald to our Nation's Capitol and thanking him for his service. We are forever grateful.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Donald Gillen's honorable service to our nation during World War II. Born April 14, 1927 in Lincoln, Nebraska, Donald graduated from Lincoln High School and joined the U.S. Army on July 26, 1945. Faithfully serving our country at Camp O'Donnell, Philippines from November 1946 until June 1947, Donald was a part of the 12th Philippine Scout Division before becoming a company commander in the 57th Infantry Regiment in Manila. Becoming a reservist and member of the National Guard, Donald returned home to Lincoln to graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism from the University of Nebraska. He began a new career with the York News-Times in 1969 and eventually became the publisher of the newspaper, retiring in 1988. Husband to his college sweetheart Marilyn Gillen, father to one, and grandfather to four, Donald is known as a family man--moving to Belleville, Illinois to be closer to his child and grandchildren. Today, he is a guest editorial staffer for the Belleville News-Democrat and writes occasional editorials while supporting his wife's singing in the St. George Episcopal Church choir. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the service that Donald dutifully gave to our nation during World War II. We are forever grateful for his service.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, this last week on Sunday, southern Illinois, the State of Illinois, and I believe this Nation mourned with the family and friends of a friend of mine by the name of Tom McNamara. About 2 weeks ago, we lost this local hero who spent decades on the front line of law enforcement combating the drug trade. Tom began his career in Carbondale as just a local police officer with the department while he was in college. Over the years, he became an author, instructor, investigator, an expert witness, and an undercover agent. Even after retirement, he continued to serve the public as an adviser to local police departments that are still fighting the drug trade. I came to know Tom, the good friend that he is, on November 23, 1988. Mr. Speaker, you might ask, how in the world would you remember the day that you first met someone? Well, I can remember that day because it was the day after my youngest daughter was born. Tom then was the head of what was known as the MEG unit--Metropolitan Enforcement Group--a drug task force that had been assigned, and he had been an undercover agent for quite some time. And my sister actually was the secretary for that unit. So she had brought Tom over to see the new baby. While my wife was out of the room and I was in the room by myself, Tom came in. When he came in, he was introduced to me, and I told him how glad I was to finally meet him. Tom is a very big man, and at the time, he was an undercover agent, so his hair was grown out, his beard was grown out, and he was actually undercover in a motorcycle gang. He was all dressed in black, which he commonly did--actually, always did. When my wife returned to the room, he is leaning over the top of the bassinet there where our daughter lay, looking at the baby. My wife came in and had this startled look on her face because she didn't see me and my sister in the room, and instantly she kind of had that mother reaction to try to protect a child. All of a sudden my sister jumped up and said: It is okay. This is Tom McNamara. Tom McNamara is a police officer. Her first words to Tom, who, as I said, became a very good friend with me and very good friends with her: Well, I want to let you know that I would not run to you in an alley if I am in trouble at night. You would not be the one I would run to. He said: Then that is good. I am doing my job. Tom McNamara taught other police officers the dangers and concerns. He served proudly as a police officer and as an undercover agent, but he also studied in great detail the harmfulness of certain drugs. When I was a State legislator, he came to me in 1997 and said: Mike, I need to talk to you and then-Senator Luechtefeld. I need to explain to you about a drug that is so awful, that if a mother and a father would use it, it would make them not have any concerns for the safety of their children, because they are so focused on trying to get more of this drug. And they can actually make it in their kitchen. They can make it in their cars. That was methamphetamines. That was when we first started drafting laws in the State of Illinois, under Tom's guidance, to try to deal with the meth problem that still exists. Tom was also one of the first leaders that realized that there were these drugs like bath salts and all of these that are being used. I don't even know how many people Tom McNamara has saved over the years. We will never know, I am sure, let me tell you, because of his ability and his willingness to work and always to stand in the back, not to be recognized, sometimes for his own safety. But, Mr. Speaker, he did it for the betterment of this Nation, and that is why I stand to recognize him today. I thank his wife, Judy; his daughter, Rachel; his son-in-law, and their children for giving up this man to serve us, and serve us so well, for all the lives that he saved.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Shawnee Community College, located in Ullin, Illinois, for its 50th anniversary. For half a century, Shawnee College has provided opportunities for quality higher education, community education, training, and services that are accessible, affordable, and promote lifelong learning. The college is cutting edge and provides training programs that incorporate the most recent technologies to meet the ever-changing needs of students and the local economy. I visited the community college last month and met with the faculty and their directors, and their passion is clear. Congratulations to Shawnee College President Dr. Peggy Bradford, faculty, staff, and students on 50 years of excellence. I know that more than 50 years from now they will still be working and providing for the students of southern Illinois.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Alli Ragan, a native of Carbondale, Illinois, on winning a silver medal at the 2017 World Wrestling Championships in Paris last month. Alli, the Pan American champion, won silver for the second straight year, and her strong performance helped propel the U.S. team to a second place finish in the tournament. Alli, southern Illinois is extremely proud of you, and we look forward to cheering you on for many years to come.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, on August 21, a total solar eclipse will stretch from coast to coast in the United States for the first time in 99 years, and I am proud to say that my district in southern Illinois is the prime viewing spot. In fact, my home county of Jackson County near Carbondale, and also my front yard, is where the eclipse will be at its apex. For 2 minutes and 38 seconds, it will be like total darkness in the middle of the day. The city's population of 26,000 is expected to multiply many times over from visitors around the world coming for tourism and to see this astronomical Super Bowl. So I would encourage my colleagues and the American people to visit for some world championship southern Illinois barbecue, the beautiful outdoors, the wonderful wineries, and welcome one and all people for the best viewing moments of this solar eclipse.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for hosting this Special Order on rural America. I am a proud resident of a rural district in southern Illinois. If you are from Illinois, you understand that the ``S'' is capitalized on the word ``southern''; and that is because it is a unique area in itself. It is nowhere near--and there are great people in the Chicago area, but we are farther--well, actually the district starts just across from St. Louis and goes south to where the Mississippi River and the Ohio River come together. There are a lot of farming communities there. In my opinion, though, we don't talk enough about our rural communities here on the House floor. So, I am really glad that we are having that opportunity tonight. In so many ways, you have to realize that our rural areas are the backbone of this country. But if you listen to the media and the advertisers and the Hollywood producers, you would think there wasn't anything between the East Coast and the West Coast. But, let me tell you, I am here today to say that there is. Too many of these small communities are struggling, trying to get through, and, quite often, are weighed down by things that we do here in Washington. They want investment. They care about the growth of their communities and they care about jobs. But when the press talks about jobs, the same industries that come up every time are the tech startups, the consulting firms, the real estate companies, and the new restaurant chains. Those are all good, but one group that doesn't get talked about enough is our farmers. And let me tell you, that is not something new. It has happened over many years. This Nation's farmers have planted and kept us fed for all the years this great Nation has been in existence. And I am going to tell you that Benjamin Franklin called farming the only honest way to acquire wealth. Thomas Jefferson said our government would remain virtuous as long as it remained chiefly agricultural. Illinois' own Abraham Lincoln was born into farming and described agriculture as a great calling. In southern Illinois, beginning farmers tell me their cost of doing business is climbing and their income is shrinking. This is not the first time this has happened. I want to kind of express a story that took place several years ago. Right now, in the Agriculture Committee, we are working on the farm bill. Well, the first farm bill came into existence because then- President Ronald Reagan began to hear from the farmers around this Nation of the problems that they were facing and the concerns that they had. And one in particular farmer, a man by the name of Herman Krone, who lives in a little town called Du Quoin, Illinois, about 18 to 20 miles from my home, wrote a letter. Because back then you didn't send emails and you didn't send texts. You actually wrote letters. He sent it to the President, not thinking that he would get a response, but he just wanted to voice his concern of his son Rick, and was Rick going to stay in the family business. Well, he really couldn't because of the high risk of doing business in our agricultural communities. Well, one night--as a matter of fact, it was a Sunday night, if I remember correctly, because I heard this story from Herman himself before he passed--the phone rang. Now, I understand it wasn't a cell phone, like we have now. It was actually hardwired to the wall. The phone rang, he reached over and picked it up, and someone asked: Is this Herman Krone? Mr. Krone? He said: Yes. They said: Can you hold for the President? Herman said: The president of what? The man on the other end said: The President of the United States, Mr. Ronald Reagan. He said: Well, you are kidding me? The man said: No, Mr. Krone. It really is. Sure enough, the President himself called Herman. He said: Herman, I read your letter, and I realize that you understand what the problems are that the rural farmers are facing today. He said: I will tell you what I would like to do. I would like to come to your farm. You bring a group of your agricultural people together and I want to talk with them. And, sure enough, the next month or so, President Ronald Reagan came. The conversation he had, along with other conversations he had around this United States, led to the first farm bill. We are working on that farm bill right now. But farming and ranching operations are getting squeezed, due to low commodity prices, just like they were then. And the need for increased credit, in order to expand the diversity, has to be done. Small family-owned businesses are most affected. We hear about corporate farming, but the fact is, 97 percent of American farms are family-owned farms. That is why one of the bills that I have introduced is known as the BALE Act, which is to modernize the Guaranteed and Direct Loan program at the USDA to better reflect the costs of farming because times have changed. It is our job here in this House to remember that we are dealing with those rural areas and the farmers that are in them. Now, this will help the next generation of producers make their mark on the industry. As Republicans and Democrats, we need to work together on more ideas like this one. We need to keep focused on the heartland because these are the red-blooded Americans who love their country and deserve a voice. By addressing the needs of hardworking families who are too often forgotten, we can strengthen these communities for generations to come. It really is all about the next generation. Each one of us in this House hopes and prays that this Nation holds and grows, and the next generation has to come up. We need that generation of farmers to make sure that they stay on the farm.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2781, the Ensuring Veteran Enterprise Participation in Strategic Sourcing Act. This important legislation clarifies that veteran-owned small businesses should be given proper consideration for contracts with the Department of Veterans Affairs. It will help to ensure that our contracting is efficient and fair to our Nation's veterans. The VA has a special responsibility to maximize business opportunities for our heroes when they come home from serving abroad. Helping veteran-owned small businesses succeed is a bipartisan effort, as you have heard already here today. I am happy to see so many of my colleagues support it. I want to thank my colleague, Dr. Dunn, for offering the commonsense fix to contracting at the VA, and I look forward to voting in favor of it. I urge Members to support H.R. 2781.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advocate for the victims of human trafficking and for the law enforcement and organizations who are on the front lines combating this growing problem. Human trafficking is a growing problem in Illinois where we rank ninth in the Nation in reported trafficking cases. Cases are on the rise nationwide. As a father of three and grandfather of 11, I am angry. We must wipe out this evil before it does any more harm. I am proud that Republicans and Democrats came together to pass three antitrafficking bills this week. Our work is far from over, but these bills are vitally important to help protect American families.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, my vote was recorded as Yea on Roll Call No. 350. My intention was to vote Nay on Roll Call No. 350.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to provide relief to the people of Cairo, Illinois, and other communities across the country who have fallen victim to corruption in their local housing authorities. Last year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development took control of Alexander County Housing Authority in my district after decades of fraud and mismanagement. Many of Cairo's public housing units were falling apart, rating somewhere between dangerous and unlivable. All the while, the housing authority's senior staff continued to cash in: excessive pay, great benefits, large pension payouts, and big consulting contracts for former executive directors. All of this was paid for with taxpayers' money. An investigation by The Southern Illinoisan newspaper found local residents coping with leaking roofs, moldy living facilities, broken heating and air conditioning, rats, and cockroaches--unbelievable living conditions. This didn't happen overnight. It happened after many years of neglect. The situation is so bad that the worst housing units in Cairo are being destroyed, and families are being required to move. Sadly, Cairo's story is not unique. Similar stories of mismanagement and fraud have occurred in housing authorities across the country. While I continue to fight for families in Cairo, we must work to help those who have been relocated at no fault of their own. My amendment would require the State applications include plans to help these families transition to their new communities and find work. This will be an important step forward for Americans already fighting to stay on their feet. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I want to say to everyone, if they can, to support this amendment. I want everyone to know also that it is my hope that both State and Federal authorities pursue, in this particular case, those who have abused the system, that they prosecute them, and that they are put in situations where they are in prison, because there they will receive better housing conditions than what they left these people with. Now, this amendment deals with the fact of allowing them the opportunity to work and to step them up into a better life. But I hope and I pray that the people who are responsible for Cairo and all these other facilities will be prosecuted to the full extent. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, prescription opioids and heroin addiction are ravaging our Nation, causing heartache and pain for millions of American families, and destroying our communities. This is no secret. In my own home State of Illinois, opioids contribute to nearly 1,200 overdose deaths in 2016. Heroin played a role in those deaths of another 1,000 people, many of whom started with prescription drugs. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more people die from opioid drug overdose than from homicide and motor vehicle accidents. These aren't just numbers or statistics. The people battling addiction are moms and dads and neighbors and students. Addiction doesn't care about your race, your gender, your income, your political leanings. It is an issue that affects everyone because it impacts every community and every person we love. Congress took an important step last year in passing the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. This bipartisan legislation, which was signed into law, created a coordinated and balanced strategy for communities to tackle issues regarding prescription and opioid abuse in their communities. Just last month, Congress voted to fund programs designed to prevent and treat opioid and heroin use. But the real leaders of this effort will be citizens in our local community. Many local police departments now offer drug drop boxes. Parents, especially, are on the front line of this issue and are responsible to educate our children about the dangers of prescription medication. If you see someone struggling with addiction, please encourage them to speak to their local drug and alcohol commissioners. Completely ending addiction nationwide may not be possible, but together we can save lives and begin to put hope back in our communities.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor U.S. Navy Seaman Bobby Temple, a 19-year-old who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. He was one of 400 sailors who lost their lives aboard the USS Oklahoma and whose remains were buried in a mass grave. In 2015, the Navy started a project to identify each of the remains and bring closure to the families after 75 years. Bobby's bravery was honored during a memorial service in O'Fallon, Illinois, last week before his remains were laid to rest in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. As a veteran myself, it is with heavy heart that I honor Bobby's heroic service and pray God's blessing for his peaceful rest.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, June is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that leads to memory loss and other challenges in brain and physical function. Ultimately, it is fatal. More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, including over 220,000 residents of Illinois. Every 66 seconds, another American is diagnosed with this disease, and the rate of new cases are increasing. It has become our Nation's sixth leading cause of death. Last year, Congress and the White House worked in a bipartisan manner to enact the 21st Century Cures Act. The legislation transforms our health research system to speed up the fight against Alzheimer's and other diseases, but that is just the start. Let's keep working together to end this devastating disease.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1329, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2017. This bill should be a top priority for all of us this year. H.R. 1329 should ensure that the veterans receive a cost-of-living increase next year if Social Security recipients get one. We all know that the price keeps going up and that if veterans' benefits don't keep pace, veterans and their families may have a hard time paying for basic necessities like food, shelter, and clothing. This bill is extremely important to our Nation's veterans. I ask all Members to support it. I want to thank the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, Ms. Esty, for her support of this legislation. I urge my colleagues, all, also to support H.R. 1329.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan legislation, H.R. 2288, the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, as amended. The legislation is a product of hard work between the Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans service organizations, committee staff, and committee members. This bill gives veterans more options when pursuing the appeals claim by creating three pathways or lanes: Lane one allows for the veteran to request that a new individual review their case without a hearing, which will allow a faster response time from the VA on their appeal; lane two allows a veteran to request a hearing; and lane three sends the appeal directly to the Board of Veterans Appeals. These three lanes, working together, will speed up the process for our Nation's veterans and ensure that the appeals system works for them. An important compromise in this legislation also allows for veterans to keep the original effective date of their claim as long as they filed the necessary paperwork within 1 year of a VA's decision. This is another way to ensure that the appeals system is working for the veterans. It is important that we do not leave any veteran behind. My colleagues and I have worked to ensure that some of the more than 470,000 veterans with a current appeal in the system will have the opportunity at certain points to opt into the new system. This will help the veterans who have been waiting for years to hear from the VA. This bill also ensures transparency in the VA implementation. This new system, by requiring rigorous reports from the Department, ensures that all veterans are treated fairly. In closing, I especially want to recognize and thank the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs ranking member, Ms. Esty, for her hard work and help in crafting this legislation. I encourage all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2288, as amended.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Harold Wesbecher's honorable service to our nation during the Korean War. Born February 16, 1929, in Evansville, Illinois, Harold graduated from Red Bud High School in 1947 and was drafted into the U.S. Army on June 19, 1952. Faithfully serving our country over a two year deployment in the Southwest Pacific, Harold toured Mt. Fuji and Sendi, Japan alongside Pusan and the Chun Chon Valley of Korea. Guarding the Neutral Nations Inspection Team in Korea until May of 1954, Harold returned home to continue farming beef cattle and row crops for 60 years upon being discharged from the service. The husband to Gerry Wesbecher and father of two children, Harold is known to his family as ``The Boss'' because of his hard work, integrity, and honesty. Today, he continues to be a lifelong member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, where he serves on the parish board. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the service that Harold dutifully gave to our nation during the Korean War. We are forever grateful for his service.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, every day law enforcement officers around this country protect our families from harm and keep peace and promote the cause of justice. As a former first responder myself, I am proud to support these heroes, especially those who have paid the ultimate price to keep our families safe. National Police Week is a good reminder that we need to show support and appreciation to those who serve and protect us. We set aside this week each year to honor the call to service and profound commitment to duty embodied in our law enforcement officers--both in southern Illinois and across this Nation. I join with the grateful communities around the Nation to thank our officers and honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. We pray for them and we pray for their families as they watch over us.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding. As we speak, communities in southern Illinois are contending with rising flood waters. While we may not be able to prevent the water rising, there is a lot that we can do to help our communities rebuild following a disaster. Unfortunately, too many rural areas find that the help that they need is not there for them because of arbitrary Federal rules. In my district, rural communities suffered significant damage from the 2015 holiday floods, but did not qualify for assistance because of these rigid rules. This legislation addresses these problems and ends the unfair treatment of rural areas. It is better to ensure that FEMA gives greater weight to localized disasters when determining assistance. I support the legislation authorized by my friend and Illinois colleague, Rodney Davis, and cosponsored by Cheri Bustos, because the victims shouldn't be punished for living in a small town in a rural area.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 236.